“I would hate to have missed it.” He guides us to a table near the door. “Here, let’s sit down.”
I walk beside him, watching him closely as he sets down the bags and pulls out a chair for me to sit. Once I’m settled, he does the same, his hand automatically claiming mine where it rests on the table, in full view of everyone. His thumb rubs soothingly over the back of my hand, my wrist, although I’m not sure if it’s for my benefit or for his.
“Cypress…are you upset? Do you not like the clothes?”
“No, no,” he says, moving his chair even closer and tucking a stray ringlet behind my ear. “No, I’m not upset. I apologize.” He lets out a low chuckle. “I think I simply…underestimated.”
“I told you it was too much. I can take the things back.”
“They arelovely. And they are lovelyonyou,” he says, though the words might be more reassuring if it weren’t for the way his free hand is gripping his thigh beneath the table. “And you’re sure Aiden hasn’t seen you?”
“No, I don’t even know where he is. Why are you asking? Willhebe upset?”
“Not at you,” Cypress says quickly and then, sensing my distress, he smiles. “You look stunning, Cora. Not that you didn’t before, but now…” He studies my face again, my dress, before bringing my hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to the back. The second time he’s done that today, and I think I like it more each time. “Doyoulike the clothes? You look like you do.”
“I do,” I say, still unsure about his reaction. “I think they’re pretty.”
“Very pretty,” he agrees.
“So I can still help?” I ask, trying to get back on solid footing. “I’ll make a good, um, siren?”
He grins. “An irresistible one. Look.” He inclines his head toward the rest of the room, and as I let my eyes sweep the other customers, I do indeed see quite a few heads turned our direction.
“They’re probably wondering how one person could have so many packages,” I say, squirming a bit under the attention.
“They’re wondering aboutyou, Cora,” he replies swiftly. “I can assure you, I did not have nearly as much interest before you arrived.” He leans in as if to whisper in my ear, but instead, he takes a deep inhale, his nose brushing against the curve of my neck. “As I said, irresistible.”
I turn my head toward him, my mouth stopping a hair’s breadth away from his, and I can’t help but let my eyes fall there as his had with mine. “Cy?”
“Yes?”
“Just now, when I asked if you were angry, you said I had the wrong emotion,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “What’s the right one?”
He hums, the hand that had been on his thigh coming up to cup my jaw, his fingers skimming into the hair at the back of my neck, tangling in the strands so that my head is gently tugged back. And suddenly, all my lovely new clothes feel too tight, too constricting, and all I want to do is dissolve into the way it feels when he touches me.
“Oh, little bird,” he murmurs, my breath catching in my throat when he traces his thumb down the side of it. “I think you already know.”
Aiden is already back at the wagon when Cypress and I arrive, busy putting away a few supplies that he’d restocked while in town. He looks up when he hears us coming, glancing first at Cypress and then at me. He goes still.
“Cora,” he says once I’m within earshot, standing there with his arms crossed until I’m close enough for him to take my reins. “You look…” His eyes shoot back to Cypress. “Do some shopping while in town?”
Cypress shrugs. “She did not have a coat.”
Aiden’s gaze sweeps up and down my dress, catching at the way it’s ridden up slightly on either side while I’m on horseback to expose tall, laced black boots. He clears his throat. “Still doesn’t seem to.”
Cypress leans back and lightly taps some of the bags he had secured to both Cerberus’s and Tess’s saddles. “Never fear. Plenty more here.”
I bite my bottom lip, wondering if the clear irritation is whatCypress had in mind when he’d talked about Aiden’s reaction back at the cafe. Surely not, since I can’t imagine anyone looking forward to causing someone temper, although if there were such a person, it would be Cypress.
“It’s so I can help,” I add, trying to explain, and Aiden whips his head to stare at me as if I struck him.
“Help. With. What?” he says, voice low.
“Cypress. With his card games.”
I had been attempting to reduce the tension crackling between the three of us, but apparently, I failed spectacularly.
“Absolutely not,” Aiden snaps, reaching up to take me by the waist and pull me down off Tess’s back. He doesn’t release me once I’m on the ground as he usually does, his hands flexing at my sides. “You’re not going anywhere near that.”